Charlton v Coventry game stopped for five minutes by plastic pig protest as fans unite against owners leading clubs into "crisis"

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Pigs do fly: Charlton and Coventry fans are angry with the way their owners run the club...and aren't expecting an improvement anytime soon (Source: Louis Mendez)

Joe Hall

The League One match between Charlton and Coventry was suspended for five minutes after both sets of fans hurled plastic pigs onto the pitch in protest against their owners.

Supporters of the Addicks and Sky Blues want new owners at their clubs and joined forces at The Valley to make their feelings known.

Ahead of the game fans from both clubs marched together to the stadium before thousands of miniature plastic pigs were thrown onto the pitch immediately following kick-off, forcing the referee to stop play.

Although details of the protest were kept quiet, ahead of the match the Campaign Against Roland Duchatelet (Card) and and a collection of Coventry fans' groups known as the Fight The Jimmy Will Way Alliance announced they would be embracing each other's cause.

Last season incensed Charlton fans protested by chucking black and white beach balls onto the pitch and, on the final game of the season, staged a full-blown pitch invasion.

Card want Charlton to be sold by Belgian owner Duchatelet, who has not been to a game in over two years and was recently reported to have said he can't concentrate on their affairs as they represent just 1.5 per cent of his business interests.

Charlton insist that following last season's relegation from the Championship, the club's senior management has learned from their mistakes and remains committed to fan engagement.

"We are repeatedly told mistakes have been made, and lessons have been learned, but there is no improvement on or off the pitch, just a string of platitudes and empty promises," Card said in a statement. "Meanwhile, the club is disintegrating."